Geomagnetic Storm Risk (Department of Energy)

An acknowledgement letter, stating the request is being processed.

An interim response, stating the request is being processed.

Hello Mr. Morisy,

This is an interim response to your subject Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request submitted to our DOE Headquarters FOIA Office and subsequently transferred to this office (DOE Chicago Office) and to the DOE Oak Ridge Office for processing. Your request does not address the requirements of a proper FOIA request as stated at Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Section 1004.4. In your request, you are seeking:

"Any and all internal reports on the risks of geomagnetic storms to the nation."

The FOIA provides that a request must reasonably describe the records sought and be made in conformance with the agency's procedural rules before the request shall, for purposes of the FOIA, be deemed to have been received by the agency. A description of a requested document would be sufficient if it enabled a professional employee who was familiar with the subject area of the request, to locate the record with a reasonable amount of effort. The DOE regulation that implements the FOIA provides, at 10 CFR 1004.4(c)(1), that a request "must enable the Department to identify and locate the records sought by a process that is not unreasonably burdensome or disruptive of DOE operations." The regulation further states that, where possible, specific information regarding dates, titles, file designations, offices to be searched, and other information that may help identify the records should be supplied by the requester.

Your request, as written, is overly broad and does not reasonably describe the specific records you are seeking such that a DOE employee could locate the records with a reasonable amount of effort. Rather, it asks for any reports related to a broad subject matter that could exist at many different locations. We would have to conduct a search of all facilities, national labs and site offices under the records jurisdictions of the Chicago and Oak Ridge Offices. Therefore, your request must be clarified and/or restructured to comply with the FOIA by narrowing the scope to those specific areas you would like us to search, and to the more specific reports you are seeking. Please contact me at my phone number below for assistance in clarifying/restructuring your request by COB Wednesday, June 3. If I do not hear from you by that date, no further agency action will be taken and your file will be closed accordingly.

Thank you for your interest in the Department.

Mimi Bartos

Miriam R. Bartos
FOIA/Privacy Act Officer
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Science - Integrated Support Center
Office of Chief Counsel
9800 S. Cass Ave., Bldg. 201
Argonne, IL 60439
(630)252-2041
E-mail: Miriam.Bartos@science.doe.gov

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Mr. Morisy,

As stated in my May 27 e-mail below:

Your request, as written, is overly broad and does not reasonably describe the specific records you are seeking such that a DOE employee could locate the records with a reasonable amount of effort. Rather, it asks for any reports related to a broad subject matter that could exist at many different locations. We would have to conduct a search of all facilities, national labs and site offices under the records jurisdictions of the Chicago and Oak Ridge Offices. Therefore, your request must be clarified and/or restructured to comply with the FOIA by narrowing the scope to those specific areas you would like us to search, and to the more specific reports you are seeking. Please contact me at my phone number below for assistance in clarifying/restructuring your request by COB Wednesday, June 3. If I do not hear from you by that date, no further agency action will be taken and your file will be closed accordingly.

When we didn’t hear from you by June 3, your file was closed as we stated it would be if we did not hear from you. If you would like to submit a valid FOIA request that reasonably describes records, we will need you to “describe specific records you are seeking such that a DOE employee could locate the records with a reasonable amount of effort.” This would include your specifying where you would like us to search. If you would like assistance in structuring a valid FOIA request that reasonably describes the records you are seeking, please call me at my phone number below.

Mimi Bartos

Miriam R. Bartos
FOIA/Privacy Act Officer
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Science – Integrated Support Center
Office of Chief Counsel
9800 S. Cass Ave., Bldg. 201
Argonne, IL 60439
(630)252-2041
E-mail: Miriam.Bartos@science.doe.gov

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This communication may be confidential and/or privileged and is meant only for the intended recipient. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender ASAP and delete this message from your system.

Our Service Excellence Pledge:
We pledge to respect and value our partners and customers, communicate responsively and professionally, and build our reputation for delivering excellent professional services with each task performed.